Principal Legal Counsel - Public Sector Operations, Policy and Governance Division at African Development Bank - AfDB

The Complex

• Under the direction of the Board of Directors, the President conducts the business of the Bank and manages operations and activities of the Bank in accordance with the Bank’s constitutive documents.
• The President plans, supervises and manages the business of the Bank Group.
• In particular, the President supervises several Departments and Units including Office of the President; Secretariat to the Sanctions Appeals Board; Administrative Tribunal; Office of the Auditor General; Group Risk Management Directorate; General Counsel and Legal Services Department; Communication and External Relations Department; Staff Integrity and Ethics Office and Office of the Secretary General & General Secretariat.

The Hiring Department

• The role of the General Counsel and Legal Services Department (PGCL) is to deliver legal advice and services to the statutory organs of the Bank Group (the “Bank”): Boards of Governors, Boards of Directors, their subsidiary committees, to the President and the committees of Senior Management, to Regional Directorate Hubs, and more generally to the whole Bank.
• The General Counsel and Legal Services Department’s role is also to protect the interest of the Bank from legal liability and, as necessary, to ensure that the Bank Group is properly and efficiently represented in cases filed against or brought by the Bank.
• The principal objective of the Public Sector Operations, Policy and Governance Division is to provide legal support, advice, and services in connection with public sector transactions of the Bank, the African Development Fund, and other special vehicles such as trust funds, special funds, facilities and other special resources.
• In addition, the Division provides legal assistance on operational policies, and governance, environmental and procurement related matters as well as all aspects of the business of the Bank Group requiring legal analysis and legal input.

The Position

• The Principal Legal Counsel - Public Sector Operations, Policy and Governance Division is responsible for ensuring compliance of public sector operations with applicable Bank’s rules and policies as well as providing sound analysis on legal issues and operational policies.

Key Functions
Under the supervision and guidance of the Division Manager, the Principal Legal Counsel Public Sector Operations, Policy and Governance Division will:

• Ensure compliance of projects and other operational activity with applicable Bank’s rules and policies;
• Draft and negotiate financing agreements including loan agreements, grant agreements, guarantee agreements, counter-indemnity agreements and co-financing agreements with other lenders;
• Prepare and issue legal opinions on agreements, contracts and other formal arrangements for operational activities of the Bank Group and Special Funds with members and non-member countries, international organizations and governmental and non-governmental entities;
• Provide legal assistance throughout the identification, preparation, appraisal, supervision and post evaluation stages of public sector operations;
• Assist in the design of projects and programs from inception to completion in compliance with the Bank’s policies, rules, and guidelines as well as minimize risks that may impede the achievement of desirable outcomes;
• Participate in meetings and provide legal support to project teams including the structure of projects, type of financing instruments, terms of financing, implementation arrangements and compliance with the relevant Bank Group applicable policies, rules and regulations;
• Provide timely and effective legal support, advice and services in connection with public sector transactions and project implementation for loans, grants and other formal arrangements for the operational activities of the Bank Group in line with the applicable Bank policies, rules and regulations;
• Review legal and operational documents submitted with respect to the fulfilment of conditions precedent to effectiveness of loan and grant agreements and conditions precedent to disbursement of loans and grants and provide the relating legal opinions;
• Draft and/or review operational policies, directives and guidelines of the Bank Group and Special Funds;
• Provide legal assistance in operations-related implementation activities of bilateral and multilateral cooperation arrangements related to public sector operations;
• Draft Board resolutions pertaining to public sector projects and programs; and
• Undertake such other assignments as required by the Division Manager or the General Counsel.

Competencies (Qualifications, Skills, Experience And Knowledge)

• Hold at least a Master's Degree in Law, and admission to the Bar of one of the African Development Bank member countries; or a Juris Doctor (JD), and admission to the Bar of one of the African Development Bank member countries;
• Have a minimum of six (6) years of relevant experience in similar jobs, preferably in a reputable law firm, an international financial institution or a multilateral organization with proven technical competence and experience in development and international finance. Private sector experience, in particular in the structuring and negotiations of guarantees and complex and innovative financing transactions, will be an added advantage;
• Seasoned knowledge of the current trends in the area of sustainable international development, coupled with familiarity with international law and related matters as they are applied within the Bank Group and other international organizations;
• Strong skills in the preparation and negotiations of legal documents including financing agreements, briefs and legal opinions;
• Effective consulting and advisory skills that enable clients and help resolve their legal questions;
• Ability to work and deal with sensitive issues in a multi-cultural environment and to build effective working relations with colleagues and clients;
• Ability to work under pressure and cope with several simultaneous demands;
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) in English and/or French, preferably with a good working knowledge of the other language; and
• Competence in the use of standard Microsoft Office Suite applications.